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Literacy and Health Equity
What is literacy?
Literacy is an individual‟s ability to read, write, compute, and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family, and in society.
Literacy Statistics Across the Age Continuum 43% of Oklahomans (more than one million) have below basic or basic prose literacy skills, and are unable to perform more than simple, everyday literacy activities. (NAAL, 2003) A mother's literacy level is one of the most significant predictors of a child's future literacy - more significant than income level and employment status. (National Institutes of Health, 2010) On average, one out of every four (24%) students in Oklahoma starting high school as a freshman drops out of school prior to graduation, (Oklahoma KIDS COUNT Factbook 2009) More than 31,000 students (2008, latest data) are native Spanish speakers, and 115 separate languages are spoken by Oklahoma school children. School district‟s capacities are strained by an increase of more than 10,000 new students in one school year (2008-09, latest data). More than 17 percent of Oklahoma„s college freshmen must begin with non-credit remedial English coursework, and nearly one third cannot expect to make a grade of “C” or better in a regular English course. (Oklahoma Regent for Higher Education, 2010) Children of adults who participate in literacy programs improve their grades and test scores, improve their reading skills, have improved attendance records and are less likely to drop out of school (National Institute for Literacy- NIFL).
Economic Impact for Oklahoma and the Nation Oklahoma‟s future economic success is dependent on well-educated and literate citizens. 464,367 Oklahomans age 18 or older are without a high school diploma Workers 18 and over with a bachelor's degree earn an average of $51,206 a year, while those with a high school diploma earn $27,915; those without a high school diploma average $18,734. (U.S. Census Bureau). A rise of 1% in literacy scores leads to a 2.5% rise in labor productivity (The Economist, August 28, 2004). Fifty-nine percent of Oklahoma students live in poverty, and in our state‘s two largest districts the poverty rate is above 83 percent. The link between poverty and low achievement is well-documented. (2010 DRAFT Oklahoma State Department of Education - Oklahoma Comprehensive Literacy Plan) American businesses currently spend more than $60 billion each year on employee training, much of that for remedial reading, writing, mathematics and computer skills. (ProLiteracyWorldwide). How does literacy impact health? Health literacy is defined in Healthy People 2020 as: "The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions". Health literacy requires a complex group of reading, listening, analytical, and decision-making skills, and the ability to apply these skills to health situations. Persons with limited health literacy skills are more likely to skip important preventive measures such as mammograms, Pap smears, and flu shots.1 Patients with limited health literacy skills enter the healthcare system when they are sicker.2 Persons with limited health literacy skills make greater use of services designed to treat complications of disease and less use of services designed to prevent complications.1 Consequently, there is a higher rate of hospitalization and use of emergency services among patients with limited health literacy skills.3-5 This higher use is associated with higher healthcare costs.5 Low health literacy has negative psychological effects. Those with limited health literacy skills reported a sense of shame about their skill level 6 as a result; they may hide reading or vocabulary difficulties to maintain their dignity.7 The primary responsibility for improving health literacy lies with health professionals in both healthcare and public health. However, we must work together to ensure that health information and services can be understood and used

1
Literacy and Health Equity
What is literacy?
Literacy is an individual‟s ability to read, write, compute, and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family, and in society.
Literacy Statistics Across the Age Continuum 43% of Oklahomans (more than one million) have below basic or basic prose literacy skills, and are unable to perform more than simple, everyday literacy activities. (NAAL, 2003) A mother's literacy level is one of the most significant predictors of a child's future literacy - more significant than income level and employment status. (National Institutes of Health, 2010) On average, one out of every four (24%) students in Oklahoma starting high school as a freshman drops out of school prior to graduation, (Oklahoma KIDS COUNT Factbook 2009) More than 31,000 students (2008, latest data) are native Spanish speakers, and 115 separate languages are spoken by Oklahoma school children. School district‟s capacities are strained by an increase of more than 10,000 new students in one school year (2008-09, latest data). More than 17 percent of Oklahoma„s college freshmen must begin with non-credit remedial English coursework, and nearly one third cannot expect to make a grade of “C” or better in a regular English course. (Oklahoma Regent for Higher Education, 2010) Children of adults who participate in literacy programs improve their grades and test scores, improve their reading skills, have improved attendance records and are less likely to drop out of school (National Institute for Literacy- NIFL).
Economic Impact for Oklahoma and the Nation Oklahoma‟s future economic success is dependent on well-educated and literate citizens. 464,367 Oklahomans age 18 or older are without a high school diploma Workers 18 and over with a bachelor's degree earn an average of $51,206 a year, while those with a high school diploma earn $27,915; those without a high school diploma average $18,734. (U.S. Census Bureau). A rise of 1% in literacy scores leads to a 2.5% rise in labor productivity (The Economist, August 28, 2004). Fifty-nine percent of Oklahoma students live in poverty, and in our state‘s two largest districts the poverty rate is above 83 percent. The link between poverty and low achievement is well-documented. (2010 DRAFT Oklahoma State Department of Education - Oklahoma Comprehensive Literacy Plan) American businesses currently spend more than $60 billion each year on employee training, much of that for remedial reading, writing, mathematics and computer skills. (ProLiteracyWorldwide). How does literacy impact health? Health literacy is defined in Healthy People 2020 as: "The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions". Health literacy requires a complex group of reading, listening, analytical, and decision-making skills, and the ability to apply these skills to health situations. Persons with limited health literacy skills are more likely to skip important preventive measures such as mammograms, Pap smears, and flu shots.1 Patients with limited health literacy skills enter the healthcare system when they are sicker.2 Persons with limited health literacy skills make greater use of services designed to treat complications of disease and less use of services designed to prevent complications.1 Consequently, there is a higher rate of hospitalization and use of emergency services among patients with limited health literacy skills.3-5 This higher use is associated with higher healthcare costs.5 Low health literacy has negative psychological effects. Those with limited health literacy skills reported a sense of shame about their skill level 6 as a result; they may hide reading or vocabulary difficulties to maintain their dignity.7 The primary responsibility for improving health literacy lies with health professionals in both healthcare and public health. However, we must work together to ensure that health information and services can be understood and used